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COMPANY PROFILE / BADGEMASTER > > > > > > > > > > > >
back in 1993 the business has continued to expand and now has premises of 11,000 square foot.
Familiar faces and consistent service Consistency and stability are two
business elements that remain at the fore of Badgemaster, especially for its staff. Sustaining high levels of quality, customer service and also consistency encourages transparency and reliability in relationships with customers. One name stands out from the current roll- call of 88 employees –Carl Wilkinson, who has been with the company since day one starting as a school leaver in 1992. Carl is joined by a select few in ‘Team 20’ – staff celebrating 20 years, and a cluster of staff proud to be in ‘Team 10’ celebrating a decade in service. John adds: “The team here are the real success – their skills, dedication, loyalty and focus on pushing the business forward is absolutely crucial. Vicky and I are incredibly proud of our team and their abilities. They too have grown with the business over the years, and their skills and expertise are invaluable.”
Boosting British manufacturing
fulfil orders. It is not only this ‘one-stop’ business model that appeals to buyers John says, but also the associations and values that come with UK manufacture. “Buyers are increasingly understanding the benefits of UK manufacture, they are much more aware of it now than ever. In terms of pure practicality the advantages are clear – we can check every aspect of orders on site and the turnaround times can be incredibly quick. There is of course the added value of keeping the work, investments and skills for our staff here on UK shores, and boosting British manufacture. It is great that we can handle everything we need to here. It means we have full control and full accountability for what we do and we can give something back to local employment, the local economy and the wider industry too.”
A royal achievement When asked about the landmark
events in Badgemaster’s history, John refers back to the ‘organic’ growth of the business. He says: “There are too many to mention, because they mean so much in different ways. Our first completed order, our first major contract, moving premises – all these events signified to me in different ways that this business was set to grow over the years. Sometimes the more ‘natural’ progressions are the most significant.” However, not much can come close
Despite the bulk of business
remaining within badges in recent years, Badgemaster have expanded into similar product lines for a more rounded product offering, now including lanyards and key fobs which make up around 15% of overall production. Keeping the entire manufacturing process under one roof here in the UK however, remains a fantastic point of appeal for the company’s customers old and new. From designing and editing initial design concepts through to engraving, pinning, finishing and posting, each part of the process is managed on site, allowing full control and accountability between the company’s various departments to
to securing nationwide recognition from the British Monarchy for their work – firstly securing the Royal Warrant for supplying badges to the Royal Household in 2006, and in 2014 making it onto the highly acclaimed Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to business in Nottinghamshire. Both the Royal Warrant and John’s MBE are a formal recognition of the quality service Badgemaster provide, but also the benefits to the local area and wider community. In 1997 Badgemaster also received Nottinghamshire County Councils first ‘Bridge to Work’ award to recognise the training and employment of those who were left unemployed after the demise of the local mining industry. Credibility and transparency in manufacture is supported with both the ISO9001 accreditation in 2010 from the British Standards Institute for quality management, and the highly sought-after ISO14001 – the highest possible accreditation available for
environmental awareness, for which it is understood Badgemaster are the only single badge making company to hold.
Going for growth
The one fact that has literally turned on its head in the company’s 24 year history is of course, the scale of the business. Servicing and managing thousands of accounts is no mean feat. Currently standing at over £4 million business and still reporting continuous year-on-year growth of between 10 and 12 percent is only brought home when you consider the volume of business being managed. John’s approach is simple: “Like so many in business, I believe if you aren’t moving forwards, you are going backwards. That’s why we are continually investing and growing in different aspects of the business be it the staff, technology and machinery, advertising and trade exhibitions. We have to keep looking at what we can do better to see how we can move forward. Today 85 percent of our total business is repeat orders, so a big focus is how we can service our customers better. Of course, new accounts are great but our strength is being able to provide a timely efficient service to all our accounts when they need us.” Consider too the UK is also just
coming out of recession, where growth in business is few and far between. Like much of the professional clothing industry, a dip in new starters and recruitment rates invariably had an effect on orders. Less money for new uniforms and rebranding meant not as many companies were in the mindset
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